Journal of the Virtual Explorer

The identification and dating of tectonic fabrics in rocks of the NW part of the Borborema Province has provided important insights regarding the tectonic evolution of the region both preceding and during assembly of West Gondwana. Although the tectonic evolution of this area has not been as hotly disputed as other parts of the Borborema Province, such as the Seridó region (e.g., Jardim de Sá, 1994; Jardim de Sá et al., 1995; Van Schmus et al., 2003), our findings have implications for this debate. Our main finding is that the Brasiliano Orogen was responsible for the generation of the three latest tectonic fabrics observed in the Médio Coreaú Domain in contrast to structural arguments against three progressive deformational phases in the Borborema Province during the Brasilano Orogen in the Seridó region (e.g., Jardim de Sá, 1994). Looking at the greater tectonic framework of West Gondwana, changes in the regional stress field during variable convergence between surrounding cratons and the Borborema Province would have been manifested as different deformation regimes.